Naqashi Art — Mughal Decorative Painting

Conservation of Naqashi — the Mughal tradition of decorative wall painting featuring floral arabesque, geometric patterns, and calligraphic motifs on plaster + wood.

What Is Naqashi?

Naqashi (Urdu: نقاشی) refers to the Mughal-era tradition of decorative painting on architectural surfaces — typically applied over fine plaster (often lime + marble dust) or wooden panels. Common motifs include:

Floral arabesque — vines, flowers, leaves in symmetric patterns
Geometric patterns — interlocking stars, hexagons, octagons
Calligraphic medallions — Quranic verses + Persian poetry
Hunting + courtly scenes — figurative work in private quarters

Surviving Naqashi work is found at Lahore Fort interior chambers, Wazir Khan Mosque, Shahi Hammam, and Sufi shrines across Punjab + Sindh.

Deterioration Patterns

Pigment fading — natural mineral pigments fade with UV + age
Plaster delamination — base plaster separates from masonry
Smoke + soot damage — candles, oil lamps blacken surfaces
Past whitewashing — paintings often covered with lime wash by later occupants, requires careful uncovering
Modern paint over-painting — well-intentioned but damaging interventions

Sunshine's Naqashi Conservation Method

Survey + documentation — high-resolution photography, mapping, pigment sampling
Laboratory analysis — pigment identification, binder analysis, salt content
Stabilization — fix delaminating plaster before any cleaning
Cleaning — controlled removal of dirt, soot, whitewash over-paint. Solvent gels or laser depending on surface
Filling losses — lime-based fills tinted to match (not painted to deceive)
In-painting — reversible watercolor or gouache reconstruction of missing pattern areas (clearly distinguishable on close inspection per ICOMOS)
Protective layer — minimal-intervention consolidation

FAQs

What pigments were used in original Naqashi?

Mineral-based: lapis lazuli (ultramarine blue), malachite (green), red ochre, yellow ochre, gold leaf, lampblack. All natural, sourced regionally + from Afghanistan/Central Asia trade routes.

Can heavily damaged Naqashi be fully restored?

Restored to presentable + stable state, yes. Restored to "as new" — no, and ICOMOS principles discourage it. Visible loss areas are honest evidence of age.

Who specializes in Naqashi in Pakistan?

NCA Lahore conservation department, Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP) for Lahore Fort projects, specialist heritage contractors working with Department of Archaeology Punjab.